Shifting multiple-clutch device.



A. BAILEY. SHIFTING MULTIPLE CLUTCH DEVICE.

APPLICFLTION FILED JULYLS, 1914. 1

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

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AUBURN BAIIILEFZ', 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,

snrrrrue MULTIPLE-onorari :envien- Specification of Letters Patent.v

matinee.

" new and useful Improvements in Shifting lVIultiple-(llutch Devices, vof which. the following is a specification.`

My present .invention relates tonevv and useful improvements in power transmlssion mechanisms, particularly to mechanisms of that type employed in transmitting power from the crank shaft of an engine 4to the rear axle of self-propelled vehicles, the primary object of my invention being the provision of 'a Amultiple clutch transmission mechanism of improved type.

In ordinary transmission practice, sets of intermeshing. gears are employed for transmitting power, the speed ratio at which the power is transmitted being dependent'upon the relative diameters of the meshing gears and the gears being selectivelv brought into mesh by means of a hand lever or other suitable mechanism, 'a clutch being also employed to interrupt the transmission of power during the shifting or at times when the vehicle is to'remain stationary when the engine is running and the gears in mesh.

illy present invention comprehends the provision of a transmission mechanism employing a drive shaft operatively connected. to the differential mechanism of the vehicle a clutch member at this clutch member being 4 with a sliding clutch member carried by the crank shaft of the engine.

lt further compreheuds the provision oi"V a plurality of jack shafts having gears either in mesh with a gear carried by the drive shaft, or movable into mesh with said gear, and-each having aclutch member corresponding to the clutch drive shaft. The drive shaft and jack shafts are so arringed'a'nd mounted upon a revolving from place to placeV to; selectively bring the clutch member carried* by any .one of the shafts into yalined V'engagement with the clutch member of the crank shaft. A

A further objectief-,my invention is to so arrange such gears uplon the jackshafts as are not normally in "csh, with the gear of the drive shaft, that 'they will be autoinatcally brought into mesh with ainsm inclosmg vverse sectional view taken Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

application fueaJuiy 1a, 1914. seran No. 850,787'.` p

such gear, as soon as the drive shaft and iack A rurther object of my invention conmatically moving the gears'out of mesh upon turning of the drive and jack shafts to another'position. `And a still further object of my invention consists in means for turning the ol? tie shafts in alinement crank he engine.

With these and other objects in view, my invention Will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically' pointed out in the claims W ich are attached form a part of this application.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top plan view of the running gear of a conventional motor vehicle, showing my improved transmission inechanismapplied thereto; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the transmission mechbox or housing, with its cover plate removed, showing the manner of mounting the drive shaft, jack shafts and their clutch members, certa-in portions oi the housing and shaft being shown in section;

with the Fig. 3 is a 'transon' the line 3`3 of Fig. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrow: F ig. l is a similar 'view taken -on the line ld of Fig. 2; Fig. o

the engine is, of course, in direct longitudi' nal alinement with the shaft section 13 an at its free end is squared to slidably receive' the clutch member 16, the end of supporting bracket sha its to selectively bring any one `the shaftl being prvided with a colhnr 17 fitting within a socket 18 in the forprovided Vwith a tapered socket 22 having angularly disposed faces for locking engagement with a mating clutch member, which will 'be later described. rThe clutch member 16 is further provided with a peripheral channel 23 to receive the rollers 24 carried by the fork arms ofthe clutch operating member 25which in turn is operated by the usual clutch pedal 26. By this arrangement, the clutch member 16 may be forced along the shaft 15 against the spring 21 but will normally-be he d by the spring with the collars 17 and 19 inengagelnent with each other.

The shaft section 13 is connected by the i v universal joint 14 with a drive shaft section 27, the forward portion of which extends into the transmission mechanism housing 28. This transmission mechanism housing includes upper and lower housing members 29 and 30 provided with peripheral flanges 31 at their mating edges to receive clamp bolts 32 by means of which the housing members are connected. The housing thus` formed is supported intermediate its length by laterally directed brackets 33 and 34 secured to and extending inwardly from' the side bars 10 of the running bodyof the vehicle. As

clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the draw-L ings, the forward end of the housing thus formed is provided with an extension 35 to receive the crank shaft 15 and its clutch member 16, theforward end of this eXtension being provided with a cap plate 36 secured by bolts 37, or other suitable fastening means. The rear end of the housing is provided with a circular opening 38 closed by a cap plate 39 having a central opening 40 to receive-a supporting shaft 41. The forward end of this= shaft seats in a thickened portion l2 in the front wall yof the housing, being secured against-rotation by a lock bolt 43, while the rear end seats in a bracket 44 carried by a cross brace45, the free ends of which are connectedv to the side members 10 of the `vehicle frame, a thrust collar 46 being preferably interposed between the bracket 44 and the rear face of the cap plate 39. For a reason which will be hereinafter explained, the cross brace is formed immediately at the right of the bracket 44 with a downwardly'directed bend as shown at 47 in Fig. 3. The cap plate 39 is also p vided with a ball and socket bea ring 48 to receive and journal the drive sha ft section 27.

Mounted for rotation upon the supporting shaft 41 is a supporting member or bracket 49 in the form of a sleeve 50, the rear end of this sleeve being flanged as shown at 51 inorder that it may be secured by bolts to the cap plate 39, which rotates with it while the forward end of the sleeve carries a bevel gear 53, this gear being secured against turning movement independent of the sleeve. At this point it should be noted that the supporting shaft 41, and conseipicntly the bracket sleeve 49, are radially disposed with respect to the universal joint 14, as also is the drive shaft section 27.

That end of the drive shaft section 27, ex-

tending within the transmission mechanism housing, is journaled in a pair of alined bearings 54 carried by spaced arms 55 extending radially from the bracket sleeve 50. The bracket sleeve is further provided at one side of its arms 55 with a second pair of alined, radially extending arms 56 provided with bearings 57 to rotatably receive a jack shaft 58. -In addition to this, the bracket sleeve 50 is provided at the other side of the arms 55 with another pair of alined, radially disposed arms 59 having alined bearings 60 to receive a ljack shaft 61, and alined bearings 62 to receive a jack shaft 63. All of the jack shafts 58, 61. and 63 are in radial alinement with the universal joint 14 and, in addition, the jack shafts 5S .and 61 and the drive shaft 27 are all concentrically disposed about the support ing shaft 41 in such a manner that by turning the supporting sleeve 50 about the supporting shaft 41, in the proper manner, as permitted by the revolving cap plate 39 and ball and so`cket bearing 48, anyone of these shafts may be brought into direct alincment between the universal joint 14 and the crank shaft 15. That arm59 located adjacent the forward end of the bracket 49 also carries a third bearing. 64 to receive a stub shaft 65, also in radial alinement with the universal joint 14 and concentrically arranged with respect to the jack shafts, about the supporting shaft 41. The drive shaft section 27, jack shafts 5S and 61, and stub shaft G5 carry, at their forward ends, clutch members 66, 67, 68 and 69, respectively, each of these clutch members being adapted to coact with the clutch member 16 of the crank shaft when brought into proper alinemcnt therewith. The specific construction of all of these clutch members is the same and a detailed explanation of such construction will be given at a later time. At this point, all that is necessary to say is that when any one of these clutch members is brought into active engagement with the clutch member 16 'of the crank shaft, the shaft carrying Vshifter' cam 75,

intensa l such clutch member will be driven by the crank shaft.

A spur gear is keyed or otherwise secured to that portion lof the drive shaft section 26 between its supporting bearings 54 and constantly meshes with an idler pinion 71 carried by the jackshaft 63. The Jack shaft 61 carries a spur gear 72 which is keyed or otherwise secured to its shaft in such a manner as to turn therewith and at the same time he free for limited longitudinal movement upon such shaft, this movement being such as to permit sliding of the gear 72 either' into or out of mesh with the idler pinion 71. A spur gear 73 is similarly secured upon the jack shaft58 in such a manner that it may be slid either into or lout of mesh with the spur gear 70 ofthe drive shaft section 27. Helical springs 74 surround the ,jack shafts 58 and 6l, engaging against the forward supporting arms of such shafts and against the forward. faces of the gears 73 and 72, to normally hold such gears in rearward position, under which circumstances they are both out of mesh with the gear 70 and pinion 71.

Secured to and extending interiorly of the transmission mechanism housing,

in the form of an arcuate plate, this cam being so located that when either of the jack shafts 58 or 61 is swung into alinement with the crank shaft 15, its

gear will be engaged by the cam member and forced forwardly against its 'spring 74 until it is brought into mesh with the gear 70 of the drive shaft section 27.

In order to provide means for turning the supporting bracket 49, which carries the drive shaft section 27, liack shafts and stub shaft 63, a shaft 76 is projected through the upper member 29 of the transmission mechanism housing and provided at its lower end with a bevel gear 77 meshing with the bevel gear 53 of the bracket sleeve 50. That portion of the shaft 76, exterior of the transmission mechanism housing, is preferably inclosed in a protective sleeve extends through the floor of the vehicle at 'a point readily accessible to the driver. termi-4 nating at its upper end in an indicating disk 79. The upper end of the shaft 76 extends slightlyl beyond this disk and is provided with a radially extending hand lever 80 by means of which the shaft 7G may be turned to turn the supporting bracket 49. N otches or other/sui table means may be provided upon the indicating disk 79 in order that the operator may readily determine, from the position 4of the hand lever or handle 80, the position of the gears.

Each of the ciu-tch members carried by the drive shaft section 27 of the various jack shafts, as well as that carried by the countershaft 65, includes a hollow cylindrical body portionl81 having' a closed hub portact, vas is 78, which tion 82 at its rear end for engagement with the shaft-upon which such clutch member is mounted and interiorly provided at its other end with a centrally located stud 83 formed in'its outer end with a socket 84. vEach of such clutch members further includes a clutch plate 85 having a centrally formed, angularly faced stud 86 to seat in the socket 22 of the clutch member-'16 and provided with a laterally directed peripheral flange seating snugly within the body portion 81. The stud 83 carries a spaced friet-ion disks 88, which otherwise secured to the stud against independent turning movement, while the flange carries a plurality of friction disks 89 similarly secured to the fia-nge, each of these disks being located between adjacent disks 88 in such a manner that when the clutch plate 85 is forced rearwardly, V,all of the disks are brought into close frictional concustomary in multiple disk clutches. 90 seats in the socket 84C of the stud 83 and ears against the clutch plate 85 to normally hold the friction disks 88and relation. v

I preferably provide, between the forward bearing of each of the clutch member car- A relatively light helical spring plurality of i are keyed or` 89 in spaced ryirng shafts and its clutch, a thrust collar of the transmission mechanism. position, it will be clear that the engine may be started in the usual manner without transmitting power to the rear axle, as the rotation of the crank Shaft 15 will merely result in rotating the idly mounted clutch member 69 and its shaft, there being absolutely no connection between the stub shaft 65 and any of the remaining shafts.

en the vehicle is to be started, the foot pedal 26 is depressed to free the clutch momber`16 from theclutch member 69 and the hand lever 8O manipulated to partially revolve'the bracket sleeve 50, and all shafts carried thereby, to bring thejack shaft 61 and its clutch member 68 into alinemenl' with the crank shaft 15, such position' of the In this parts being readily determinable by the relative position of the hand lever 8O with respect to the notches or other indicating `mai-irs of the disk 79. VYhen the parts have been brought to this position, the pressure is gradually removed from the clutch pedal 26 to permit engagement of the clutch member 16 with the clutch member 68 when it will be clear that the revolving crank shaft will drive the jack' shaft 6l. At the same time that the jack shaft 61 is swung into alinement with the crank shaft 15, its spur gear 72 is brought into engagement with the shifter cam 75, With the result that it is forced into mesh with the idler-pinion 71 carried by the shaft G3. As this pinion is,

' at all times, in mesh with the spur gear 70 of the drive shaft section 27, it will be clear that the nio\ ement of the crank shaft 15 will be ransmitted through the gear 72, pinion 71 and gear TOto the drive' shaft and so to the rear axle, the crank shaft and drive shaft section both revolving in the same direction. The meshing gears and pimons are so formed that this drive constitutes the low speed drive of the transmission gearing.

In order to bring the transmission mechanism into position for a second or high speed drive, the clutch member 16 is forced away from the clutch'memberGS andthe hand lever 80 manipulated to bring the drive shaft section 27 into alinement with the crank shaft l5 when the clutch member 16 is released to engage the clutch member 66. Un-

der these conditions,'the drive is direct from' the crank shaft to the drive shaft section 27. In order to reverse the direction of movement of the car, assuming that the transmis sion gearing is in neutral position, the clutch is thrown out in the usual manner and the with. the spur gear 70 of the drive shaft sec-z tion 27. The power is, therefore, transmitted from the crank shaft 15 to the jack shaft 57 and from this jack shaft to the drive shaft section 27, the crank shaft and drive shaft vsection 27 then rotating in opposite directions.

It will be clear that, assuming the car is at rest, none of the gears will'be rotating and there is,-therefore, nopossibility of injury to the gears during shifting of the transmission mechanism, under these circumstances. Even, however, if the vehicle is moving and the ear consequently rotating,the re will 'be a solutely no load on whichever of the gears 71 or 73 is being brought into mesh with the gear 70, such gears being stationary at the time, and so under these circumstances noI injury can result.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that no gears are moved into or out of mesh when both are under load and that all stripping of gears is therefore avoided. Furthermore, asl the transmission is through clutches of the multiple disk type, the provision of a plurality of intermediate speeds, vsuch as are necessary in the present day gear transmission mechanisms, is un-y necessary. However, such intermediate gear speeds may be supplied, if desired, by merely adding additional countershafts, each with its clutch member capable of being brought into alinement with the crank shaft and each provided with a ear of suitable size capable of being broug it into mesh with a gear of the drive shaft section 27 It will of course be understood that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific detailsV of construction, illustrated and dcscribed, as various changes, within the scope of the appended claims, may be ma de at any time, without inthe slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

, Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. In a power transmission mechanism,the combination with a driven clutch member, of a driving shaft, a clutch member thereon, a plurality of concentrically arranged clutch members adapted, together with the clutch member of the driving shaft, to co-act with the driven clutch member and movable into selective engagementytherewith, and means for'` transmitting power .from any one of the plurality of lclutch members to the driving shaft.

2. In a power transmission mechanism, the

combination with a driven clutch member, i

0f a driving shaft having a co-acting clutch member, a plurality of jack shafts having clutch members adapted to co-act with the driven clutch member, meansfr simultaneously revolving the driving shaft and jack shafts to selectively bring their clutch members intoengagement with .the driven clutch member, and means for transmitting power from the ack shafts to the driving shaft.

3. In a power transmission mechanism,the

Aengagement with the driven clutch disposed with respect aisance the driven clutch member, and means for transmitting power from thejack shafts to the driving shaft. A

in a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member and a driving shaft including a universal joint, of a co-acting clutch member carried by the driving shaft, a plurality of jack shafts, coacting clutch members carried by the jack .hafts for engagement with the driven clutch member, means for simultaneously re` solving the dri ving shaft andfjack shafts to selecti vel y bring their clutch members into member, and means for transmitting 'power from any jack shaft to the dri'vcnshaft, said means becoming ope 1ative onlyV whenthe clutch member of such jack shaft is in engagement with the driven clutch member.

.la in a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member carried by a crank sha-ft and a driven shaft carrying a universal joint, of a plurality ot' concentrically arranged shafts radially to the universal joint, one of said shafts being neeted to such joint, clutch members carried b v all of said conccntrically arranged shafts and adapted for engagement with the driven clutch member, and means for bringing any one of such clutch members into engagemr'it with the clutch member of the crank shaft.

(i. ln a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member carried by a crank shaft and a driven shaft carrying a universal joint, of a plurality of coneentrically arranged shafts posed with respect to the universal joint, one of said shafts being operatively connected to such joint, clutch members carried by all of said concentrically arranged shafts and adapted for engagement with the driven clutch member, a support for said shafts to maintain them in concentric relation, and. means for revolving the support to bring any one of the shafts in alinement with the clutch shaft.

7. ln a power transmission mechanism, the combination with -a clutch member carried by a crank shaft and a driven'shaft haring a. universal joint. of a driving shaft connected at one end to the, universal 'joint and having a clutch member' at its other end adapted for engagement "with 'the driven clutch member. a revoluble support for the driving shaft disposed radially with respect *o the universal joint, a plurality of jack stalls also carried by the support and extending radially with respect to the joint and concentrically with respect to each other and the driving shaft, clutch members carried by said jack shafts, and means for transmitting power the driving shaft.

operatively co`n-` radially diss lradially disposed 'ported concentrically from the jack shafts toy 8. In a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member car-- ried y a crank shaft and a driven shaft having a universal joint, of a driving shaft connected at one end to the universal joint and having a clutch member at its other end adapted for engagement with the driven clutch member, a revoluble support for the driving shaft disposed radially with respect to` the universal' joint, a plurality of jack shafts also carried by the support and eX- tendiirg radially with respect to the joint. and concentrically with respect to each other and the driving" shaft, clutch members carried by said jack shaft, meansfor transmitting power from the jack shafts to the driving shaft, meansfor revolving the support to bring any one of its shafts into alinement with the crankshaft.

n a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member and a shaft to be driven, of a. driving shaft operatively connected to the shaft to be driven, a revoluble support carrying the driving shaft, a-clutch member carried by the driving shaft to co-actwith the first clutch member, plurality of additional clutch members carried by the support to co-act with the first clutch member, and Imeans for transmitting power from certain. of said addi` tional. clutch members, when engaged with the first clutch member, to the driving shaft.

In a power transmission mechanism, the combination with a clutch member carried by a crank shaft and a driven shaft, of a plurality of shafts having clutch members adapted to co-act with the clutch member of the crank shaft, and means for selectively transmitting power from such shafts to the driven shaft'and from the lirst clutch memto transmit power ber directly to the. driven shaftA In a transmissiongearing, the combination with a reciprocally mounted driven clutch member and a driving shaft having universal joint` connection with a differential mechanism, ofV a supporting shaft with respect to the univcrsal joint and out of joint and the crank shaft, a supporting bracket revolubly mounted on the supporting shaft,- bearings carried by such bracket for the driving shaft, additional bearings carried by such bracket, a plurality of jack shafts mounted in the additional bearings, the ack shafts and driving shaft being sup with respect to each other Aby such bearings and radially with alinement with such respect to the universal joint,and clutch members carried by the` ,driving shaft and jack shafts and adapted for `c`o=action with the driven clutch member.

12. In a transmission gearing, the combi nation with a reciprocally mounted driven clutch member and a driving shaft having isc universal joint connection With a diierential` mechanism, of a supporting shaft radially disposed with respect to the uni-A shafts and adapted for co-action with the` driven clutch member, and means fori'e`r volving the supporting bracket to bring the various clutchmembers into selective aline- Inent with the crank shaft.

13. In a transmission gearing, the combif A' nation with a reciprocally mounted driven clutch member and a drivin shaft having universal joint connection Withja differen-v tial mechanism, of a supporting shaft radially disposed With respect to the universal joint and out of alinement with such' bers carried by the driving shaft and jack .shafts and adapted for co-action with the driven `clutch member, and means for revolving the supporting bracket to bring the various clutch members into selective alinementwith the crank shaft, said means including a bevel gear carried by the supporting bracket, a shaft, a bevel gear 'carried by shaft and meshing With the rst gear, and a hand lever carried by the shaft;-

*11n testimony whereof I aiix my signature 1n presence o two Witnesses.

AUBURN Brunei@ [L sq x l-`Witnesses:

G. F. FISHER, E. S. SYLVESTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve'cents each, by addressing the Commissioner` ofI Patents,

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